From Gardening to Digital Marketing Strategy: How Cultivating these Gardens Breeds Success

When you think of a digital marketing strategy, I'm sure gardening doesn't pop into your head. But, maybe it should. I have been an avid marketer for 30 years, about the same as being a gardener. I've wondered why I love these two things so much and I think I've hit on something. It came to me when I was interviewing for a job. If you're a marketer, learn why cultivating these two gardens breeds success in both your professional and personal life.

Your Digital Marketing Strategy Garden

When starting your marketing garden, there are key details you need to be aware of to ensure a successful and thriving growth environment.

1. What story do you want to tell? Who, what, where, when, and why (the 5 elements of journalism) also make a big difference in marketing. Who are you marketing to, what are you marketing, where (geography), when (holidays, special events, daily, etc.), and why are you marketing this service, product, etc. Granted, you want your company to succeed and make money, but think about WHY. 

   
   

2. Layout & Design - Just like a garden, you have to know the layout of the space and how you want to design it; the same goes for digital marketing. Are you laying out a website, social media account, email campaign, book, blog, etc? And next, how will you design it? What images and content will you put in it? Will there be weekly blogs and service pages with full descriptions and links? How about your front page, landing pages, contact us, or bios pages? This is a vital key to getting your company out there and being marked as an authoritative source.

   
   

3. What keywords are you using? You might ask what this has to do with gardening but think about it. With gardening, the "keyword" is the actual plants you put into the garden, just like keywords are used for marketing. You can put in a ton of keywords to see how well they rank on search engines, or, you can pick specific ones that match your gardening space, layout, and design (products, services, company theme, etc.) Using keywords in the proper place allows visitors to see your marketing garden first and foremost. When it's colorful, spaced just right, and looks inviting, people will want to regularly visit your garden.

   
   

4. Fourth and the most important of all is your ROI and that comes down to cultivating all three above, so your garden breeds success and increases your bottom line. In gardening, cultivating the plants means fertilizing, weeding, watering, and trimming when needed. You need to do the same with your company to potential clients or customers. 

   
   

5. Appealing to an audience's interests is key in effective communication across marketing, education, or personal interactions. Understanding what captures their attention is essential for meaningful engagement. This requires researching their preferences, passions, and motivations through demographic analysis, surveys, or direct conversations. Once you understand their interests, tailor your message to align with these elements using relevant anecdotes, statistics, or examples. Employ language and imagery that evoke emotions tied to their interests to strengthen the connection and enhance receptivity. Maintaining dialogue and showing genuine enthusiasm for their interests fosters a deeper connection. By valuing their preferences and engaging on topics important to them, you build trust and encourage meaningful interactions. In summary, appealing to interests involves a strategic approach to understanding and connecting with your audience, inspiring engagement and fostering positive relationships.

   
   

6. In order to effectively nurture them, it is essential to create an environment that fosters growth, understanding, and support. This involves actively listening to their needs, providing guidance, and encouraging their aspirations. By offering emotional and practical assistance, we can help them develop the skills and confidence necessary to navigate through life's challenges.
   

7. Solve their dilemma. Addressing their dilemmas requires a careful and thoughtful approach. It is important to identify the core issues they are facing and explore potential solutions together. Engaging in open dialogue, brainstorming options, and weighing the pros and cons can empower them to make informed decisions. Ultimately, our goal should be to equip them with the tools to resolve their conflicts and emerge stronger and more resilient.

   
   

8. Keep them coming back. To ensure that customers remain engaged and consistently return for more, it is essential to implement strategies that foster loyalty and satisfaction. This can be achieved through a variety of methods, including offering exceptional customer service, creating a welcoming environment, and providing high-quality products or services that meet their needs and expectations. Additionally, personalized communication, such as tailored recommendations and follow-up messages, can make customers feel valued and understood. Engaging them through loyalty programs, exclusive offers, or special events can also incentivize repeat visits. By continuously enhancing the customer experience and building strong relationships, businesses can create a sense of community and belonging that encourages customers to keep coming back time and time again.

Seeds of Marketing Gardening Sucess

Once the garden has been planned, created, implemented, cultivated, and nurtured, the reward is a beautiful space that can grow and include many diverse plants of different colors, shapes, textures, and interests - the same as digital marketing.

When a plan has been brainstormed, created, carried out, and tracked, you can see the rewards of success. You can see what went wrong and what went right, and learn and grow from the experience. Better, you can change out when needed and create more space to add more exotic and beautiful plants (or products/services) and weed out the competition for long-term marketing success.